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CHAPTER FOUR - 🍂 ୧ finally telling . . .
raven & elliot ও🦌

THE ONGOING WAR BETWEEN the Ravenclaw-Slytherin trio and the Marauders took place, earning the disapproval of the Professors, yet it also provided a source of entertainment and irritation for the vast majority of the student body. The teens often took aim at each other when left unattended, trying to catch their opponents off guard. Despite their efforts to remain discreet, some schemes were impossible to avoid in areas where numerous people were present, resulting in more eyes witnessing their antics.

The prank war between the Gryffindor and the Ravenclaw-Slytherin trio had grown to be impressively intricate and resourceful, with the two factions engaged in a fierce competition to outdo the other. The pranks involved a range of modifications, from physical transformations to unpleasant odors, or other disconcerting ailments. The teenagers were willing to go to great lengths to keep up with one another's tricks, resulting in a series of ongoing pranks that continued to escalate as time went on. There was no limit to their antics, as they became more elaborate with each passing day.

Amidst their ongoing prank war, they frequently had a specific target in mind. Autumn was often pitted against James, and vice versa. Despite her intent to provoke negative reactions from him, she secretly enjoyed his response when he fell victim to her pranks. Similarly, James also found some joy in the reaction Autumn displayed when he played tricks on her. The two teens derived a certain degree of satisfaction from each other's reaction to their mischievous antics.

When it came to the other pairs of prank rivals, the participation was fairly evenly distributed. While Autumn and James often found themselves at the heart of the prank war, the rest of the members also engaged in various schemes to get at each other. There was a relatively equal distribution of tricks, with all the parties involved partaking in different pranks.

Autumn's main reason for targeting James was rooted in the lingering feelings that had been awakened in her after he mistook her for Lily in the hospital wing. Not only did she hold a grudge against him due to the mistake, but he also openly boasted about his observation regarding their eyes' distinct appearances, which only further intensified her existing insecurity. Over the course of a couple of years, his joke constantly resurfaced in his numerous remarks, causing her unresolved feelings to grow deeper. Despite this, she carried on targeting James in their prank war, finding some satisfaction in his reactions. But she soon became aware that her intentions had evolved into something far more.

As much as Autumn attempted to deny it, she found herself developing a sense of attachment or fondness for him. This connection was one that she would have preferred to be devoid of, and while she did not have feelings of love for him, her feelings were also not entirely platonic.

"I'm going to murder you, Potter!" Autumn exclaimed as she found herself drenched in green sticky paint by James Potter. He responded with an exaggerated facial expression before swiftly dashing off to avoid her, leading to her giving chase. Raven and Elliot, witnessing their friend's pursuit of their male target, maintained a safe distance from the remaining Gryffindors and simply observed the spectacle, enjoying the sight of the two participants engaged in the thrilling chase game.

Raven had only received a slight dousing of the green sticky paint, with a few patches staining her robes. She turned to look at Elliot, who himself possessed only a small amount of the sticky substance on his shoes. Raven then directed her gaze towards Sirius, Peter and Remus, inquiring, "Was the prank specifically aimed at Autumn?"

Sirius responded with a shrug of his shoulders and answered, "Well, no."

Peter folded his arms as he continued, "It's likely that James changed the prank to target her."

Remus shook his head in disapproval, aware of the prior incident in the hospital wing, where Autumn had been mistaken for Lily Evans. Over the years, he had been witnessing their continuous exchange of faces when the opportunity arose. However, the dung bomb incident, initially wasn't even meant for Autumn and Raven, but in the end it had finally revealed the true nature of the prank war between the Gryffindor and the Ravenclaw-Slytherin trio as an intense personal feud between Autumn and James.

As for Autumn and James, the latter was frantically attempting to escape, and the former was hot on his heels, determined to get revenge. The Gryffindor tried to make a quick getaway, but he was no match for the Ravenclaw's determined pursuit, and she quickly caught up with him.

James was busy laughing and focused on escape. As a result, he collided with someone. Autumn, who was unable to see clearly because of the paint, also stumbled into James. Both of them lost their balance and hit the ground, along with the person they had knocked down. When they came to, they discovered to their surprise that it was not one but two people: Severus Snape and Lily Evans.

Snape turned to give James a furious glare, checking on Lily to make sure she was okay. Lily then shot a venomous glare at James before turning to look at Autumn, who was already using her wand to remove the paint from her own and the two others' clothing - on everyone except James. This sight prompted suppressed laughter from the female Gryffindor at the sight of the messy, paint-covered boy.

Autumn turned to Lily and Snape, apologizing, "I'm sorry, Lils and Sev." She finished clearing the paint and huffed in irritation at James. The Gryffindor displayed a frown in response to her familiar nickname for the Slytherin, completely ignorant of the fact that they were friends. Furthermore, it heightened his already seething anger to hear that she had a nickname for Snape - something that added fuel to the fire of his mounting frustration.

After the incident, Snape accepted Autumn's apology, regardless of whose fault it actually was. Lily flashed a quick smile and then left with Snape, leaving James behind. The Gryffindor tried to call out to her, but Lily quickly gave him the middle finger before walking away.

After they left, James turned to Autumn and asked, "When did you start becoming friends with Snivellus?"

Autumn shot a sharp glare at James and corrected him, responding, "Severus." She explained to him that she had been friends with the Slytherin for a while, mainly because they shared every class with the Slytherin house.

James' irritation with the Slytherin continued to intensify, but it was further magnified whenever he pondered Lily's friendship with Severus. His contempt for Snape remained constant, but his heightened feelings of antipathy grew stronger and even more intense once he learned about Autumn's friendship with the Slytherin.

James' irritation reached a boiling point, and he questioned Autumn in a mocking tone, "How can you be friends with Sni...Snape."

Autumn let out a snort and shook her head, retorting in a terse and irate manner, "Why, can't I? What difference does it make to you?"

James controlled his frustration as his anger began to subside, and he changed the subject to a query, posed with a hint of vexation, "Hey, you were able to get rid of the paint easily. Why didn't you do that instead of chasing me?"

Autumn wore a sly grin and replied with a hint of cheek, "Well, you ran off, and it was amusing chasing you. Plus, it was definitely satisfying seeing you covered in paint."

James was shocked to realize he was covered in paint, and immediately asked in a furious voice, "Paint?!" He looked behind him at his robes, which had green substance all over the back. "What?! Why didn't you remove the paint from me?!"

Autumn answered with a indifferent shrug, "Why should I?" She enjoyed his reaction and started running at top speed, as he chased after her in rage.

James' face showed anger as he ran after Autumn, attempting to catch her. However, Autumn kept smirking and remained one step ahead of him, taunting him, "Potter! You learned this spell in your third year!"

James yelled back, frustrated by her teasing demeanor, "Well, I can't remember it!" As he continued to run after her, he was clearly irritated by her taunts.

As she continued to evade James, Autumn maintained a sarcastic and defiant demeanor. She didn't bother trying to reply to his response and simply taunted him with a sly comment, shouting back, "Then that's not my problem!"

"Rivers!" The sound of James shouting her name in the hall had become a common occurrence, given the Prank War that was always in full swing. Whether it was her name being yelled, or his, seeing the two of them engaged in a chase had become an ordinary sight. It was no longer a surprising sight to the unsuspecting onlookers in the halls, as both parties were frequently caught in a pursuit, adding even more to the chaotic and entertaining atmosphere within the halls.

Several weeks later, Autumn, Raven, and Elliot had gathered in the library, enjoying a casual and relaxed atmosphere as they engaged in light-hearted conversation. The trio continued to chat, with the conversation drifting effortlessly between their recent interactions and banter about other students within the school. The atmosphere was generally gentle, yet the group also incorporated jokes and playful retorts into their discussions, creating a lighthearted and fun ambiance.

Autumn, as she perused a book, shared the latest news, "I've heard that some people have been keeping track of our prank war, and it seems like the boys are currently winning."

"But how?" Raven asked, looking confused, "Considering the fact that the pranks have been pretty well-matched from both sides."

Elliot, taking a break from his Herbology essay that he was working on with the former, chimed in, "They're probably judging based on the level of intensity in the pranks."

Elliot nodded in agreement, momentarily looking away from his work as Autumn assisted him with his Herbology essay. "I suppose the boys have concentrated on bigger pranks. But what about us? We've just been doing small pranks," he added, providing a possible explanation for the boys' edge in the Prank War.

The three fell silent for a moment as they came to the realization of the situation. The thought of losing despite their best efforts hung heavily in their minds as they resumed studying.

Raven, seeking a change of topic from the Prank War worries, decided to ask Autumn a question. "By the way, Autumn, I've been wondering, what's going on between you and Potter?"

Autumn was jolted out of her reading as she looked up and noticed the inquiring gazes of the two. Glancing at Raven, she saw that she was waiting for a response.

She then looked back to Raven, recalling the incident from third year in Care of Magical Creatures class. "Yes, you remember the Hippogriff incident with Potter?"

"Oh, yes," Raven affirmed, thinking back to the incident in question.

Autumn then explained the events briefly to Elliot, providing him with the essential details of the COMC class she shared with the Gryffindors.

She proceeded to elaborate on the encounter, although this time she chose to leave out any mention of James' panic attack. She explained the parts where James mistook her for Lily and how it triggered her own feelings of low self-esteem. She further disclosed how James constantly compared her eyes to Lily's and the lasting impact those comments had on her self-confidence for years to come.

Autumn silenced Raven's objection with a wave of her hand, assuring her that the situation was now behind them. She went on to explain that the hurt from the incident slowly faded as the Prank War between them began. Autumn observed how James focused most of his attention on Lily, making him oblivious to other aspects. She noted that James was not adept at understanding the subtleties of people, aside from his intense fascination with Lily.

Raven expressed her surprise at Autumn's ability to forgive and move past everything that had happened. She confessed that she thought Autumn was being too forgiving. However, Raven soon realized that persuading her friend otherwise would be futile, and so she conceded with a hint of resignation.

"You really are too forgiving," Elliot chimed in, expressing his own reservations about the situation. But he, too, eventually conceded, understanding that it wasn't his choice to determine the appropriate response.

The conversation between the trio continued as they evaluated, debated, and ultimately accepted the circumstances. While Raven and Elliot shared their concerns and disapproval, they eventually came to terms with Autumn's decision to dismiss the matter and concentrate on the ongoing Prank War among their friend groups rather than her issues with James.

After a brief moment of silence, the group continued their discussions, engaging in lighthearted banter and brainstorming potential pranks to play on the Gryffindors.